1. Field of Use
This invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for cooking vegetables, such as diced potatoes or the like, in hot water-vapor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the food processing industry it is necessary to provide large batches of cooked, diced or sliced potatoes for use in the commercial preparation of large quantities of potato salad or other products. The cooked potatoes can be used directly or can be frozen for future use. Heretofore, this was done in either of two ways; namely, by boiling diced or sliced potatoes for about five minutes in a continuous boiling water or by steam blanching diced or sliced potatoes in a non-pressurized container for about fifteen minutes using saturated unpressurized steam injected from a boiler. Typically, boiled, diced or sliced potatoes are used directly for potato salad and blanched, diced or sliced potatoes are frozen and later thawed by wholesale or retail customers, and fried to produce a finished product. However, boiling removes starch and flavor from the diced or sliced potatoes and blanching, while converting the sugar in the potatoes to starch and providing for uniform color when subsequently fried, does adversely affect the flavor. Therefore, it is desirable to provide an improved method and apparatus for cooking diced or sliced potatoes or the like.